The Trial By Fire
by domino.dice
Summary: Through anguish unabound, Eriol is tested to see if he is fit to be the reincarnation of Clow. Some EriolSakura. Please R
1. Welcome to the new and improved Trial By

Ah-ha-ha-ha. That was pretty hollow laughter. Well, I'm re-writing Black Magic. It will take a long time, since I'll change just about everything except the plot... My incentive? Black Magic was my very first story but is basically null, and it sucks. I have now taken it down. Also, I want to put all of the Trial By Fire into one story. No one will read the ones that came before it if they're separate stories... And when I update, all of the series will go up to the front if it's all together!  
  
Next incentive: It is so very wrong. I wanted to stay true to the manga plot, but, because all I had at the time were brief manga summaries, most of it is wrong. I have gotten older, I can write better (or so I'm told ... ) and, drumroll... I CURRENTLY OWN ALL OF THE CCS MANGA! I've read it all, too, and there's definitely too much fault to just revise, so I'm completely re-writing it. Twilight will only need some revision, because during the writing of Twilight, I had exactly two volumes of the manga, and a few misc chapters (the 42-page monthly issues) from the first half of the manga. The volumes I had? Seven and ten. Yeah, both were pretty useless to me. I have, and have read it all now, and the Trial By Fire series will be much better. At least, the beginning will, then events will unfold and drift away from the original CLAMP CCS storyline.  
  
There will, of course, be elements of the original Black Magic story: most of the chapter titles will remain the same, and the general flow will go in about the same way. Also, Sakura will be smarter, because I don't hate her as much! I'll admit, the things Sakura did in the anime... AGH! I despise the anime Sakura. Now that I own the manga, she isn't as bad. The anime makes a mockery of CCS, and there are about three Eriol-secret-hideout scenes that they just keep using over... and over... and over...   
  
But I know most of you love Sakura, and due to popular demand, Naoko will be sacked (I had planned for her and Eriol to get together. My favourite couple! But I'm making another fic to compensate for Naoko's loss, 'Silent Devotion', coming soon, hopefully.) and the Trial By Fire's main pairing will be Sakura and Eriol. It won't be all romance, in fact quite the opposite, and I am rather against lemons, but maybe I could change my standing given time and some persuasion. There will be just enough of the romantic element, as one of my reviewers had said for Twilight. Thank you Gigicerisier, for it was your review that moved me to make this pairing decision.  
  
This takes place just after the end of the twelfth volume. I mean, immediately following. Just for those of you who haven't read all of the manga, I'll recap. When I read this, I was in denial. I just couldn't believe that CLAMP had done this, but in the last few pages, Sakura confessed her love for Li, just as he was leaving to go back to Hong Kong. They exchanged teddy bears (actually, Syaoran had already given Sakura hers) and parted. Here's the part I couldn't believe: It changes scenes to a few years later and Sakura is in middle school, and Li comes back saying that he's finished his business in Hong Kong, and he was in Tomoeda to stay. This actually happens IN THE MANGA. I don't know how many people have read ALL of the manga, seeing as in the beginning of all of the stories I've read, Syaoran isn't back, and Sakura is still in elementary school.  
  
Just a little rant before the story: Why did it take place when Sakura was in elementary school? I think, at the very least, she should have been in grade 8. It makes sense to me. What do you think? (Well, the fact that she's in middle school at the end of the last volume makes things much easier-I don't have to explain why suddenly she's so much more mature!) I mean, I have a ten-year-old sibling, and, I'm sorry, but no. What Sakura did there was impossible for anyone under the age of thirteen. (I know. I've seen the other ten-year-olds. but, then again, there's Harry Potter. But he's special. He was kind of mature to begin with, so... what am I saying. I don't like Harry Potter, either. I like RON!)  
  
You know what I noticed? Eriol, in the manga, does in fact have a British accent, and is rather proper about his ways. I try to stay true to that here, so just picture him with that smooth, light British accent... ooooooooo....  
  
Ja ne, and enjoy! 


	2. Black Magic: Returns

Black Magic  
  
1: Returns  
  
'Syaoran!'  
  
'You're so beautiful, Sakura.'  
  
Sakura was silent, a little stunned for a moment. She brought herself to speak. 'How come you never told me you were coming back? We sent so many letters back and forth, and you never said anything!'  
  
Syaoran turned away, blushing rather profusely. 'Yeah, well... I wanted to keep it a surprise. You know, I just wanted... I don't know, but it makes things better, or at least, I thought so.'  
  
'It doesn't matter, you're here now... everything's going to be so great! Wait 'till I tell Tomoyo! She'll be really excited too!' Sakura gasped with possibilities that came into her mind. 'We could have a welcome pack party! Tomoyo would go crazy, what with all of the decorating opportunities. We could invite everyone!' Sakura continued talking and the two started off to her house, Syaoran simply listening and smiling warmly.  
  
'Tomoyo could do all of the decorations, and everyone would come! Toya and Yuki, even Kero could take part, because it would be a party just for us... just for everyone who knows about what's happened, that way we could talk about anything we wanted to... umm... what are you staring at me like that for?'  
  
Syaoran looked ahead and kept smiling. 'You haven't changed a bit.'  
  
They walked all the way to Sakura's house, sharing stories, and just enjoying each other's company. They got to her house, just as it started to rain, and Sakura settled Syaoran in the living room. 'I'll just get some tea, or something. I'll be right back.'  
  
Sakura raced to the kitchen and hurried about, taking everything and anything that they'd need to just sit in the living room for hours. As she did so, she picked up the phone and dialed Tomoyo's number, probably faster than she ever had.  
  
'Hello?'  
  
'Tomoyo! You'll never guess what!?'  
  
'Sakura! What happened?' Tomoyo asked excitedly. By the tone in Sakura's voice, something absolutely marvelous happened.  
  
'Syaoran is sitting in my living room! He's going to stay here!'  
  
'Oh, Sakura, I'm so happy for you!'  
  
'I'm so happy he's back. Oh, by the way, I'm wondering if you'd be able to come to a party that I was thinking of having.'  
  
'Of course! I get to decorate, though.'  
  
'Absolutely. I want everyone to be there, and we can even have some of the Cards help out with things.'  
  
'Wait a minute, Sakura. Not everyone will be there.'  
  
'Phwee?'  
  
'If the Cards will be there, then that means just the people who were involved with them will be there.'  
  
'That's right... What's you're point?'  
  
'Well... I know he was kind of the antagonist when you were changing the cards, but...'  
  
'Eriol? You mean Eriol? I haven't heard from him since The Nothing got out!'  
  
(Note( I'm kind of taking this from the second movie!!! Don't tell anyone!!!)  
  
'Really? I would have thought he would have at least sent you something... I wonder what's the matter with him. But then again, Syaoran is different. He'd never leave you high and dry!'  
  
Sakura felt vaguely insulted. 'Eriol didn't leave me "high and dry". In fact he helped me out a lot, and to the best of his abilities. I mean, he did give half of his magic to my dad. I know what it's like to have a big power drain, but probably none of it comes close to what he had to do.' Sakura paused for a moment, suddenly aware that Syaoran was just in the next room.  
  
She spoke quietly, so there was no chance that Syaoran would overhear. 'In fact, I think I'll invite Eriol.'  
  
The doorbell rang.  
  
'I'll get it for you,' Syaoran said from the living room.  
  
'That's the door, Tomoyo, I got to go. But I'll call you with more details on the party. You just start cooking up decorating ideas, and show me what you come up with at school, okay? Talk to you later.'  
  
'Bye Sakura!'  
  
Sakura hung up the phone and went to the door. Syaoran, who had already answered it, stared in shock at the person who stood there. He was rather tall and had midnight-black hair that came almost to his shoulders, not quite long enough to tie back. He had large, round spectacles in front of reserved blue eyes the colour of rain clouds, and there was even a background of them to compare to. He wore a long dark coat over a deep blue silk shirt with white trim and faint but delicate embroidery and black satin pants. He held a suitcase in one hand and a small package in the other, and he was soaked with the rain.  
  
'Eriol?!'  
  
'I heard you were having a party?' He said softly before his eyes glazed over and he began to fall forward.  
  
'Ah!' Syaoran lunged to catch him before he realized what he was doing, but when he did, he just about dropped Eriol to the floor in disgust.  
  
'Sorry...' Eriol muttered as he righted himself. 'I guess I over-did it...'  
  
Sakura took his coat and bag, setting the bag by the stairs, and hanging his coat to dry. Syaoran helped Eriol to the couch, trying his darndest to do it while at the same time touching him as little as possible.  
  
'Over-did what?' Sakura asked once they were all sitting.  
  
'Getting here. It took quite a lot of effort. I didn't take a plane.'  
  
'Oh. Then did you-?' Sakura started.  
  
'No, no, no. I used magic. I guess I shouldn't have. I wanted to get here as quickly as I could. I was... kind of... sleeping when Syaoran decided he would pay you a visit before he settled in Tomoeda again. I wanted to see you... well, to be honest, I wanted to see you're reaction when he showed up, but I was a little late for that.'  
  
'Pervert...' Syaoran muttered to himself.  
  
'These are my pajamas. Syaoran chose to see you right away on a whim, so I didn't foresee it in time to react quickly enough.' Eriol raised a weary hand and pointed to his luggage. 'That bag is mostly empty. I had almost no time to prepare, and I still didn't arrive in time.'  
  
Sakura noticed that Eriol was rambling. He had been in Tomoeda for a few months before he revealed himself, and after he did, Sakura saw that he was still the same. She knew that when Eriol spoke, it was always well thought out, and it had a point, even if it could not be easily determined.  
  
But there in her living room, as she listened to him speak, Eriol obviously did not have anything to say.  
  
'Are you alright, Eriol?'  
  
Eriol stopped mid-sentence. 'Wh-why do you ask?' He said, looking like he was trying too hard to stay composed.  
  
'Maybe we should put you in the guest room. It has to be about three AM in England, right? And you did use up lots of your magic.  
  
'I think that's a good idea. I'll get my bag.' He said strangely as he rose to fetch his things.  
  
He didn't stay standing for very long.  
  
'Oh! Syaoran, could you help me get him to the guest room?' Sakura asked as she checked Eriol for any outward injury. Syaoran reluctantly agreed, and they carefully got Eriol to the guest room and onto the bed within. Eriol was sound asleep, but he seemed to be muttering something... Sakura couldn't quite make out any words.  
  
She sighed and turned to Syaoran, putting a hand on her hips and giving an over-exaggerated smile, though part of it was just her. 'Welcome back, Syaoran. I think the tea's ready about now.'  
  
----------  
  
Ah, the first chapter of the redux. I'm just going to insert the chapters for Black Magic into the beginning of Twilight. Twilight will end up being revised as well, as I am completely re-doing the story that comes before it, and even some of Twilight is wrong!  
  
But hey, the rewriting of Black Magic is going really quickly! 


	3. Black Magic: Dream Of Warning

2: Dream of Warning  
  
Darkness surrounded him. It was peaceful, calm, but there was something that didn't feel right. A figure materialized in the blackness in front of him. He could barely make them out, but he could tell that this figure was female. She was crouched low, and didn't seem quite human, as she had short fur and a thin tail.  
  
'You're... a guardian aren't you?' Eriol said, and he sounded uncertain, even to his own ears.  
  
*Greetings, sorcerer. Indeed, I am a guardian.* Said the figure. It was most definitely female, there was no doubt in Eriol's mind about that. She also spoke with a strange voice... telepathy, Eriol realized.  
  
'Who is your master?' Eriol demanded, sounding less hesitant.  
  
*Why does it matter, for I am here merely to give you a warning. I've seen how events will come to pass, and you must heed my warning, or you will surely be fated to an end worse than death. A nightmare approaches from the Realm of Dreams, and is coming to where it is not welcome. You must refrain, sorcerer, from any magic that would draw it's attention. I can only stay briefly, as my own magic warns it of my presence here.*  
  
'Do I know your master? Is that why you're here? I know there aren't many people who would protect me...'  
  
*I know. Your past holds many foes, as does my masters. Yes, you are connected, but in a way you couldn't guess.* The figure paused and seemed to be listening for something. *I don't have much longer. There is something else that you must know of. Figures of your past will return. Some you will fight, others... not... but in the end, they all will be there... when Chaos erupts...* She gasped almost inaudibly. *You must wake up. Now.*  
  
A sudden barrage of images showered into Eriol's mind... Scenes of the past, and even some that had not yet taken place. But none of them were pleasant, and all of them were red...  
  
'Eriol!'  
  
He woke with a start and gasped. He sat bolt upright, shaking a little and breathing hard.  
  
'You okay?'  
  
It took Eriol's stunned senses a moment to register his surroundings. He had... a dream? No, it had to be a nightmare. Either way, he couldn't remember it anymore.  
  
Sakura leaned in closer. 'Eriol? What was it?' Sakura knew it had to be a dream, and seeing as Eriol was who he was, it had to be prophetic.  
  
'Eriol shook his head. 'I know what you're thinking Sakura, and I'm certain you're not far from the truth, but. it's gone, whatever it was. I don't think I'll be able to remember it.' He gave Syaoran a strange look. 'Thank you, by the way.'  
  
Syaoran looked at him, suspiciously questioning, but Eriol said nothing else on the subject. Eriol spent a few moments regaining his composure, though. He ran his fingers through his somewhat messy hair and took a few deep breaths.  
  
'You okay, now?' Sakura asked with concern.  
  
Eriol smiled in reply. 'I'm much better. Now, on to what I brought...'  
  
Sakura looked at Eriol's small suitcase, and at the package. 'What did you bring, anyway?'  
  
'Well. This one' -He held out the slightly soggy package- 'is for you, Sakura. It definitely caught my eye and screamed "Sakura!" so I just had to get it.'  
  
Sakura untied the string carefully and slid the paper off the package. Once she saw it in full light, her eyes widened and she gasped. 'Eriol, it's gorgeous!'  
  
It was a fair sized crystal globe about as big as a grapefruit. It was perfectly clear, but was tinted a pale blue. It was set into a silver stand with engravings of angel wings lightly etched into the metal. It was fairly heavy, as both globe and stand were hollow. She touched the globe and she thought she saw something move inside.  
  
'That's all celestite, except for the base. I figured that you will need to learn how to use magic other than that of the Cards. That's a divination kit, by Psion-Night, I believe.'  
  
'What's Psion-Night?' Syaoran asked, growing mildly possessive. He, of course, was still jealous of Eriol, and especially now that he's buying Sakura things that look like they cost him a lot.  
  
'It's a division of the Pure Psionics company. Of course, they don't have anything to do with real psionics, it's just a catchy little thing. Real psionics is actually quite a rare thing.' Eriol stated matter-of-factly.  
  
'I'm still not quite clear on this.' Syaoran said with a dead-pan look.  
  
Eriol smiled. 'There's business in magic, you know. Of course, it's small, but that's good, because nothing is made on an assembly line. It's all hand- made. That's partly what gives it the magic, you know. Anyway, this comes with the gazing ball in your hands, some celestine salt, and this crazy wand thing.' He finished as he pulled a long, thin... well, Sakura had to admit, it was a stick, but it was a cool stick. It was smooth, and it wasn't perfectly straight, but nor was it warped and bent. It was an even mahogany, and looked like it had been treated.  
  
Eriol flicked it around almost carelessly. 'Useless to you, of course. Your magic would fry it. Here, Syaoran.' Eriol said with a wry smile.  
  
'Where would you find something like this?' Sakura asked, still staring with awe into the globe.  
  
'I know a little place. Been there for years. It's just down the street from my house. I'll show you, if you ever get a chance to come to England for a while.'  
  
'It must have cost a fortune!'  
  
'Well, regular currency isn't a problem for me, it can be easily duplicated, and it won't even be counterfeit. Honest to goodness hard- earned cash can be willed into existence quite easily, actually. I know a few dishonorable sorcerers who flaunt this fact, but I'm not going to name names. In stores like that magic shop I went to, heilins are what you need.' Eriol dug into his pocket and revealed several multi colour gems, similar in likeness to marbles cut in half. 'These can't be duplicated by magical means. Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not anywhere near short of these.'  
  
Syaoran scowled ever so slightly as he watched Sakura run her hands over the globe. He really did not want Eriol around. He had, after all, just gotten back, and he had a few things of his own to present to Sakura.  
  
'And you, Syaoran.'  
  
'What?' Syaoran demanded.  
  
'I got something for you, too. From the same store, actually.' Eriol rose slowly, making sure he had recovered his balance after his magic had faded. He went over to his suitcase, and brought it over to the couch, sitting down again. 'I wanted something original for you. Mind you, just about everything in that store is unique, seeing as they're all hand-made, but I wanted to get something for you that I myself have wanted.'  
  
Eriol opened the suitcase and handed Syaoran a shoebox sized package. Hesitantly Syaoran took it. He knew Eriol's ways, but had not expected Eriol to ever give him anything other than one of his signature smiles. Syaoran lifted it closer to an ear.  
  
'It doesn't talk, but if you intend to shake it, I ask that you don't.' Eriol hazarded.  
  
Syaoran looked at him, and back to the box, setting it on the coffee table to unwrap it. Once he lifted the lid of the box, which was stamped with "Solace Gifts" and an address Syaoran noted, he had to remove several layers of tissue to reveal what in the world Eriol would have given to Syaoran if he himself wanted it.  
  
At first, it looked like a strangely shaped bowl. It was small, but wide and shallow, and the sides were straight and sloped inwards slightly. The outside of it looked something like dark marble, but the inside was covered with small, lavender crystals clustered together like the inside of a geode. Every few square inches there were three or four clusters of some particularly iridescent needle-thin crystals that were arranged in a fan- like arrays.  
  
'A clairsentience bowl?' Syaoran muttered aloud.  
  
'I'm a little surprised that you know that. I suppose you also know what it's for?'  
  
'Yeah, for stuff like seeing through walls and hearing anything in a certain radius.'  
  
'Also, it has some empathic magic worked in there too.' Eriol leaned over to Syaoran and smiled. 'It's special edition.'  
  
The tips if the needle clusters flushed red, glowing faintly.  
  
'Now, see there. You're already getting the hang of it,' Eriol laughed. 'It knows all your secrets,' Eriol smiled brightly at Sakura. 'I've got something for Tomoyo, too, as well as... Yukito...' Sakura knew that Eriol really meant Yue. 'But those I think I'll save for later. I believe you need some privacy. I guess I'll start home, then.'  
  
'Wait a sec. I'll lend you a Card or two so you don't have to use up so much of your magic, this time. I think Fly and Dash will do it.'  
  
'Combinations. You learn more for every day that passes. Thank you, very much. I'd really appreciate that.'  
  
Sakura set the globe on the coffee table and gave Eriol a tight hug. 'Just so I know you'll come back. You definitely have to come back when you return them. I don't think mail is a good idea.'  
  
'Yes, thank you again.'  
  
'No, thank you. This thing is amazing, Eriol.' Sakura beamed.  
  
'Well, there's instructions in the box, I'm pretty sure, and I know Kero or Yue will show you how to use it properly. I never trust the instructions. It's never worded right.' Eriol paused a moment, smile gone from his face. In fact, on his lips were the hints of a frown. Suddenly he felt that there was a path to devastation, and he was on it. He shook off the feeling as best he could, and forced a smile. 'Just in case, here's my number. I'll see you around.'  
  
----------  
  
Oooh... freaky stuff, but I think the presents are cool. Eriol is so cool. Don't worry, at some point during this story, Sakura and Eriol will get together. Syaoran's going to take it either really well, or really horribly. What do you think? 


	4. Black Magic: Party Favors

3: Party Favors  
  
For the longest time, even after Eriol had left, Syaoran sat in Sakura's living room, in wonderment about why on earth Eriol gave him that bowl. It did have some unusual powers, and was somewhat rare, but still, Syaoran could not see what use it had. Eriol did have reasons for doing anything, really, and Syaoran could easily see Eriol giving Sakura the celestite orb, but he just couldn't figure out what use the bowl would have in the near future.  
  
Crystals. Why was it always crystals? That seemed pretty trademark for a magic item.  
  
'I'm home! Sakura?' Fujitaka, Sakura's dad, had come in through the front door an dropped his things by the umbrella stand.  
  
'Hi dad!' Sakura called from the kitchen. She had finally gotten around to making snacks for herself, and Syaoran, as well as Kero, who seemed almost disappointed that Sakura didn't tell him that Eriol had dropped by. 'Guess what?' She asked as she raced from the kitchen to greet her father. 'Syaoran's come back!'  
  
'Oh!' Fujitaka exclaimed, and looked to the couch. 'About time, too. You know, Sakura was, I think, starting to get a little upset...'  
  
'Dad!' Sakura cried out and shook her head furiously. Fujitaka laughed and ruffled his daughter's hair before taking off his coat and bringing his things to his study. As he left, Kero came in, carrying about all that was physically possible for him to carry on a tray, and, surprise, all of it was food.  
  
'You're going to share that, Kero.' Sakura said, her eyes narrowed. There was definitely a threat that would come after that if Kero didn't share. Fujitaka came back into the room and sat on a chair adjacent to the couch as Kero chowed down, leaving room for people to grab something if they wanted. Sakura found things very strange, even though it had been a long time.  
  
Her dad had magic, and Sakura was trying to show him how to use it, but really her father's academic teaching abilities weren't genetic. Kero had helped out some, but in truth, they really didn't know what to do with her father. He had taken everything very well, though. He also seemed to have vague memories, nothing more than vague, but he still had the shadows of memories of Clow Reed's time, and that in and of itself was rather strange. Every once in a while, Fujitaka would go up to Sakura, and ask "Do you remember when..." and Sakura would have no idea at all what he was talking about. He would just laugh after that and tell her to forget it.  
  
In many ways, though, it was good to have him know about everything. Since Yukito really didn't have any grandparents, as they were just false memories to keep Yue hidden, he decided to sell his house, and move in with Sakura. Yukito was hardly seen anymore, so there was almost always some corner in the house where Yue stood brooding about something or other. According to Kero, however, Yue had really loosened up.  
  
Toya had moved out to go to college, but Sakura knew that he felt out of place with all of the magic in the Kinomoto house these days. He would visit on the weekends, though, on occasion, and no one knew how he did it, but he would convince Yue to sit at the dinner table with them, and even managed to get a few words out of him.  
  
Sometimes, Sakura would come home to find that a few Cards had released themselves and decided to experiment in the kitchen, or even play... cards. Fujitaka would claim that "they used to do this all the time", so Sakura would look at him strangely then he would just laugh, and join them.  
  
Tomoyo's "Kinomoto Archives" had more than tripled in size. She would drop by unexpectedly sometimes, camera in hand, and she would just sit for an hour and record whatever they were doing at the time, which, somehow, Tomoyo found absolutely fascinating. She knew that they would just openly use magic in the household, or sometimes by mistake, which she found worthy to fill three whole bookshelves full of.  
  
'Dad, I wanted to know if we could... I guess, throw a little party, because Syaoran's back to stay. I just wanted to invite Tomoyo and maybe Toya even. Oh! And by the way, Eriol came by.'  
  
A look crossed Fujitaka's face that Sakura had not seen her father use before. She couldn't put a name to it, but Syaoran's clairsentience bowl, which still sat in the coffee table, suggested that it was aqua blue. 'Oh. I haven't seen him since he left.'  
  
'I hadn't either. He gave Syaoran that bowl thing there, and he gave me this.' Sakura held out the globe that Eriol had gotten for her.  
  
'It's lovely.' Fujitaka said with a warm smile.  
  
'I don't know how to use it, yet. He said that Kero or Yue would show me how. I also wanted him to come to the party. He seemed to know about it already, and he gave me his number in England. I think it would be neat to have everyone who knows about the Cards' -Sakura looked to a group of them, Cloud, Power, and Sleep, who were playing Risk! On the dining room table- 'all here. I'm sure we could all think up marvelous games to play, especially you, Syaoran, and Eriol because you two know so much about magic, and you probably know a whole bunch of games, right?'  
  
Syaoran turned red and shook his head. 'I don't know any, sorry.'  
  
'Well, that's okay. Hey, Kero, did you ever play any games that needed magic?' Sakura questioned, looking for ideas.  
  
'Oh, sure,' Kero said, reveling in the attention. 'Clow would play these hideous games of hide-and-seek.' Fujitaka laughed knowingly as Kero told the tale. 'No one ever found him because he cheated every single time. He would go invisible, you see, and just stalk behind the unsuspecting seeker. And when Clow was seeker... oh, boy, look out. Because of all his magic, he could just sense where everyone was without even trying. There was still an incentive to keep playing it with him, just to see if you could beat his tactics.' Kero suddenly grew to a dramatic close by saying: 'To Clow, games meant war!'  
  
Everyone laughed at that, even Syaoran, though he didn't do so for very long.  
  
'What about you, Yue?' Sakura said to the figure in the corner. 'What games do you remember playing with Clow?'  
  
Kero flew over to Yue and grinned devilishly. 'Aww... come on. I know you played games with Clow, so don't deny it!'  
  
'I wasn't going to,' Yue said. Sakura swore that if Yue had ever been spiteful, then that was it. She could tell that, even though he hid it, Yue got satisfaction from Kero being wrong. It seemed very sibling to Sakura.  
  
Yue took the smallest step forward and closed his eyes. 'He would play guessing games. He'd cast an illusion using a certain element to do so, and then I would guess which one.'  
  
Kero gave a very blank look to Yue. 'That's not a game, Yue, although it was boring enough that you would think so. Those were sense sharpening exercises!'  
  
'Hey, Kero, they still sound interesting.' Sakura said defending Yue. She was being honest. They did sound very interesting, although she barely knew how to use any magic at all outside the Cards.  
  
'Well, Yue, why don't you tell them about the morning games Clow would play with you?' Kero said mischievously. 'Or shall I?'  
  
Yue crossed his arms and stepped back into his corner.  
  
'Fine. Well, on Saturday mornings sometimes, Clow and me would go into Yue's room while he was still asleep and we'd... wake him up...' Kero smiled widely. 'Clow stopped after he got it so that Yue was scared to go to sleep on Friday night.'  
  
'That's a prank, not a game.' Syaoran said with a scoff.  
  
Sakura looked a little shocked. 'Is it really true? That's terrible!'  
  
'Don't forget, Keroberos, the... games... he would play with you.' Yue said calmly from the corner.  
  
Syaoran smiled spitingly. He grabbed the chance to embarrass Kero. 'What games?' He asked Yue.  
  
Yue looked soberly at Kero. 'The ones where Clow would put catnip down the sink, just for you.'  
  
Sakura held back her laugh as she pictured Kero in his true form clawing at the kitchen sink, trying to reach the catnip at the bottom of the drain.  
  
Yue continued. 'Or how about his fending games? Or-'  
  
'Yue! Got it!' Kero cried. 'Just be quiet! You'll... you'll ruin my reputation!'  
  
The faintest of smiles touched Yue's lips. 'His box games with you were amusing, too.'  
  
----------  
  
Hee! How cute! Ahh, the humour of it all. Some of those games sound like... fun... How do you like the way I interperited how things would be, since Fujitaka knows about magic, now? 


End file.
